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Obsessing Less About Food

by Mary Stella on January 3, 2015

Compulsive overeaters spend a lot of time thinking about food. We can obsess over what we eat, what we might eat, what we have eaten, when we’ll eat again and what. What we should eat, what we shouldn’t have eaten.

Honestly, the food thoughts go on and on and on.

When I am doing well on program and leading my life abstaining from compulsive overeating, I notice that I am spend a whole lot less time obsessing over food and eating. For me, this is one of the hallmarks of serenity in recovery.

I like planning out my meals, preparing and then not thinking about them until it’s time to eat. When I’m doing well on program, I can live days at a time like this. I do it one day at a time, but those days add up. When I’m not doing well, I wear myself out emotionally and mentally.

Ever since Christmas, I’ve had a strong of really good days which is why I am feeling the serenity of not thinking about food, or a least why I’m aware of being serene. There’s a marked contrast so it’s truly obvious.

A series of recovery days also free me from other negative feelings like guilt, frustration, sadness, self-directed anger and other messy stuff.

Positiveness, serenity, and hope are better. Much better.

I feel more connected to my recovery than I have for a while. I do not believe this is a coincidence since, for the first time in years, I am doing daily readings first thing in the morning and giving more time to quiet contemplation and other tools. This practice helps me align myself for the day. I’d forgotten how much it helps and plan to keep building on it as the days go on.